spain’s eleven: eleven gastronomic icons from spain

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Page 1: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain
Page 2: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

foodsfromspain.com

everything you should know about spanish food

A broad range of gourmet products can be found across Spain. By gourmet

products, we mean products that have been produced following a meticulous

preparation or manufacturing process, using natural, top quality ingredients

which boast an impeccable, beautifully presented image and/or which have

certification guaranteeing specific methodology or quality. They encompass

all kinds of goods, ranging from confectioner’s products and chocolates to

cheeses, meats, canned seafood products, sauces, dressings, vinegars, oils,

drinks and condiments, among others.

To sum up, they are products targeted at a public who have delicate taste and

an exquisite palate, who are experts on extremely refined dishes and who are

able to appreciate the level of flavor, excellence and quality of specific foods

and wines.

Page 3: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

nine table olives

one cheese

Tremendous variety of Spanish cheeses that stems from Spain’s geographical and climatic diversity.

two fish

Specially important amongst the species farmed in Spain are mollusks being the most important and traditional the mussel.

four ham

If any one product could be singled out to represent the essence of Spanish gastronomy, it might well be cured ham.

Due to the climate and geographical diversity, in Spain all traditional Mediterranean species can be grown.

three fruits, vegetables and legumes

Pag. 4

Pag. 6

Pag. 8

Pag. 12

The natural juice obtained from the fresh fruits of the olive is widely revered as one of the great ingredients of Spanish gastronomy.

It would be difficult to imagine some of Spain’s emblematic dishes without them.

The Moors were known for their sweet tooth and it undoubtedly left an indelible mark on Spanish traditional patisserie and confections. Their recipes are behind Spanish turrón, marzipan and many other sweets and candies.

Fruit of the olive tree, table olives can be made from green or black olives or any of the intermediate colors of the fruits as they ripen.

Spanish vinegars, much praised for their intense aroma, the wide spectrum of flavors and the many varieties available.

Spain, country with an important winegrowing tradition and a cutting-edge wine industry.

ten vinegars

eight sweets

eleven wines

seven spices andsalt

six olive oil

five meats of Spain

In Spain, all types of cattle and poultry are reared, reflecting the country’s great geographic and climatic diversity.

Pag. 14 Pag. 24

Pag. 16 Pag. 26

Pag. 18

Pag. 28

Pag. 22

Page 4: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

4 5

The tremendous variety

of Spanish cheeses stems

from Spain’s geographical and climatic diversity. They are made from

cows’, ewes’, and goats’ milk as well as different blends of these, and in

most cases the milk is obtained from native breeds. Coagulation may be

by enzymes, lactic acid or mixed, and cheeses may be round or square,

of different sizes, and with rinds of different colors – often engraved and

sometimes smoked, rubbed with oil or flavored with spices. Alongside

large-scale industrial production, there are also small dairies

producing artisan cheeses that retain their authentic

characteristics and traditional flavor. Some of the most

important Spanish cheeses are Manchego (also the

most popular), Torta del Casar, Idiazábal, Cabrales,

all covered by Protected Designations of Origin (PDO).

cheese

one

Page 5: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

6 7

Mussel, the most important and tradi-

tional mollusk farmed in Spain, was first

started in the Galician Rias. Galician Mussels have a place

of honor in local gastronomy and are covered by the

Designation of Origin Mejillón de Galicia.

Mojama, fillet of tuna salted and then dried for several

days, is one of the most typical and popular delicacies

of the province of Cádiz and other parts of Andalusia.

Amongst the many preserves produced are many

from the tuna family, such as fillets and belly of Albacore tuna from the

Cantabrian and fillets of bullet tuna and mackerel that are caught by the

trap-net method and today are protected by the Protected Geographical

Indication (PGI) Melva and Caballa de Andalucía. The

trap-net method (called almadraba in Spanish) used, above

all, for catching tuna is a complex set of nets and cables to

catch the migratory species of tuna as they passed through

the Strait of Gibraltar.

In a leafy valley west of Granada some 70,000 Spain’s native species of

sturgeon are thriving in the pools of Riofrío. Gourmets around

the world are enjoying the first fruits: caviar, being produced

in strictly ecological conditions and winning accolades from

international experts. Another prestigious semi-preserve (must

be kept refrigerated) are the anchovies that come especially

from the Cantabrian coast (northern Spain) and from L’Escala

on the Mediterranean coast in Catalonia.

fishtwo

Page 6: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

8 9

fruits,vegetableslegumes&

Artichoke, with its exquisite quality, is the favourite vegetable variety, being

the most important the Blanca de Tudela, grown in Navarre (northern Spain)

and covered by the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Alcachofa de

Tudela. The main growing region in Spain is on the east coast, being those

from Benicarló (Castellón) recognized by a Designation of Origin.

The best asparagus, can be found in

Ribera de Navarra. The white, purple

and green Navarre asparagus is

covered by the PGI Espárragos de Navarra. In Andalusia, the PGI

Huétor-Tájar (Granada), covers native breeds of green asparagus having

a flavor similar to that of wild asparagus.

The fleshy, sweet red peppers from La Rioja and the green ones from Galicia are

particularly popular. The latter include the Herbón variety – known as pimientos

de Padrón – which are small and sometimes hot. In the province

of León in the region of Castile-León in northern Spain,

the Pimientos Asados del Bierzo (roasted peppers) are

covered by a Protected Geographical Indication.

Chickpeas from Fuentesaúco (Zamora), covered

by a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), are

three

Page 7: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

10 11

buttery in texture and have a very fine skin. The

best-known Spanish lentils are those from La

Armuña (Salamanca), protected by a PGI. Amongst

beans are the famous Barco de Avila beans, from Avila

and Salamanca which bear a Protected Geographical

Indication (PGI). The first Designation of Origin for

rice in Europe was granted to Calasparra rice grown in the region of Murcia.

Also protected by a DO is the rice grown in the Júcar river basin and in the

Albufera. Here the varieties are Senia, Bahía and Bomba.

In Spain, almost all sorts of fruits can be grown. The native

late yellow peaches grown in Aragón have received the

Protected Designation of Origin Melocotón de Calanda. About

cherries, the most celebrated are the red ones from the Jerte

Valley (Extremadura), covered by a Protected Designation of Origin.

The tradition and quality of citrus fruits from the region of Valencia have been

recognized and protected by the PGI Cítricos Valencianos. This is also the case

for the Clementinas de las Tierras del Ebro in Tarragona.

An Asian fruit, kaki or persimmon, Rojo Brillante variety, is grown in the Valen-

cian Community, protected by the Designation of Origin Kaki Ribera del

Xúquer. As well, an American native, the cherimoya, grows along the border

between the Málaga and Granada coasts. Their special characteristics led to

the granting of the Protection Designation of Origin Chirimoya de la Costa

Tropical de Granada-Málaga. Regarding nuts, almonds are the most widely

consumed. The most important Spanish native varieties include Planeta,

Largueta and, above all, Marcona, with its

smooth taste, juiciness and strong flavor.

three

Page 8: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

12 13

If any one product could be singled out to repre-

sent the essence of Spanish gastronomy, it might

well be cured ham, the noblest of pork products. Anyone coming to Spain

for the first time will immediately be impressed by

the omnipresence of ham, not only in practically all

food stores and catering establishments but also in

the subconscious of Spaniards, where it takes on an

almost mythical nature. In the opinion of many, Spain tastes of ham. There are

different levels of quality for cured ham depending on the origin of the fresh

meat, the breed and diet of the pig, how it is tended

and slaughtered, the skill and care of the producers

and the duration of the whole process. In Spain, in

keeping with the original breed of pig, there are two

types of very distinct cured hams: white pig and Ibérico pig. Each

of these includes diverse Designations of Origin,

such as Guijuelo, Jamón de Huelva, Dehesa

de Extremadura in Ibérico hams and Jamón de

Teruel and Jamón de Trévelez in white hams.

ham

four

Page 9: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

14 15

spainmeatsofAll types of cattle and poultry are reared in Spain. The European systems for

quality protection, especially the Protected Geographical Indications (PGI), allow

consumers to enjoy genuine flavors with clear identification and official protec-

tion. This is the case of various beef cattle breeds

from the damp, mountainous regions in the

north such as the Rubia Gallega (PGI Ternera

Gallega), Asturiana de los Valles (PGI Ternera

Asturiana), Tudanca (PGI Carne de Cantabria),

Pirenaica (PGI Carne de Vacuno del País Vasco and PGI Ternera de Navarra).

Also the Morucha (PGI Carne de Morucha de Salamanca), Retinta (PGI Carne

de Extremadura), Avileña Negra Ibérica (PGI Carne de Avila) and PGI Carne de la

Sierra de Guadarrama, from the drier parts of central and southern Spain where

the climate is more extreme. Amongst the sheep breeds, in Aragón, various are

farmed - Rasa Aragonesa, Ojinegra de Teruel and Roya Bilbilitana, which serve as

the basis for production under the PGI Ternasco de Aragón. In this region, lamb

is generally known by the local term ternasco, rather than the usual cordero. The

breed usually found on the plains of Castile-La Mancha is the robust Manchego

(PGI Cordero Manchego). In Castile-León, the Churro, Castellano and Ojalado

sheep are the raison d’être for the PGI Lechazo de Castile-León,

lechazo being a local term for milk-fed lamb. And in

Navarra we can taste its delicious lamb meat from

PGI Cordero de Navarra.

five

Page 10: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

16 17

The natural juice obtained from

the fresh, healthy fruits of the olive,

extra virgin olive oil, is widely revered as one of the great ingredients of

Spanish gastronomy. Its varied aromas and flavors, culinary versatility and

health-giving attributes have been acknowledged and extolled by chefs,

gourmets and nutritionists the world over. The

great diversity of native olives expresses the

geographical diversity of Spain. In Andalusia,

the star is the Picual variety. The second most

widely-produced variety is Cornicabra, mostly

grown in Castile-La Mancha

and other parts of central

Spain. Another of the great

Spanish varieties is Arbequina,

originally from Catalonia. Alto-

gether, the Spanish map of native olives includes about 260

varieties. Olive oil also features a broad range of Protected

Designations of Origin, which embrace a large part of Spanish territory,

ranging from PDO Montes de Toledo from Toledo and Ciudad Real to

PDO Priego de Córdoba (Córdoba), including PDO Les Garrigues

from Lérida and PDO Aceite de La Rioja, Aceite de Mallorca,

Aceite de Navarra, etc.

olive oilsix

Page 11: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

18 19

spices&saltSpanish saffron is considered the best because of its bright red color and

great coloring power, its penetrating, toasty aroma and dry hay. The Desig-

nation of Origin Azafrán de la Mancha was set up to

guarantee the quality of genuine Spanish saffron. This

high quality has attracted the attention of the Slow Food

movement, being classi- fied as a “flagship” product.

Pimentón is the fine, bright red powder obtained from drying

and crushing certain varieties of red pepper. This is a

magnificent seasoning that gives a characteristic flavor and

color to traditional dishes and cured meat

products and some cheeses. La Vera,

in Cáceres (Extremadura) and the

region of Murcia are today the main

production areas. The quality of the best peppers

from the two regions is guaranteed by their respective

seven

Page 12: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

20 21

Designations of Origin, Pimentón de Murcia and

Pimentón de La Vera.

With regard to the main types of salt, sea salt

is extracted from salt flats by evaporation.

Flake salt, the purest type of salt, highly valued

because of its aroma, comprises the fine crys-

tals that float on the water surface when the

salt is beginning to concentrate on salt ponds. Smoked salt has

been smoked for several hours at a low temperature, or has

additives that give it a smoky flavor. High-quality salt crystals

are becoming so popular that new added-value products are

being launched on the gourmet market, from different loca-

tions - Ibiza salt from the Salinas de Ibiza Nature Reserve, Atlantic

salt flakes from Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz) and salt flakes

from Trenc de Mallorca (Balearic Islands).

seven

Page 13: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

22 23

Turrón is an example of

the Spanish gastronomic

inheritance from Arab cuisine, being Jijona (Alicante) the birthplace of turrón.

Jijona and Alicante turrón are made from honey, sugar, roast almonds and

egg whites. The almonds used are generally of the native Marcona variety.

The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Jijona

and Turrón de Alicante guarantee the product quality

and the use of nothing but the best ingredients.

A highly prized variety in Catalonia is the traditional

turrón from Agramunt covered by

the PGI Turrón de Agramunt.

Chocolate is produced in Spain both

industrially and on a small, artisan scale.

The variety is enormous characterized

by great creativity and imaginative presentations. Spanish chocolatiers often

use locally-produced fruits and nuts as added ingredients. In Spain there are

multi-flower and single-flower honeys.

In Granada (Andalusia), there is chestnut, rosemary, thyme, avocado and orange

blossom honey. In the center of Spain, the honey produced in the Alcarria

district from rosemary and lavender has

been famous since the 17th century. These

two traditional products are each guaran-

teed by a Protected Designation: PDO Miel

de Granada and PDO Miel de La Alcarria.

sweetseight

Page 14: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

24 25

The fruit of the olive tree is

a drupe but, unlike other

stone fruits such as plums and peaches, the sugar content is very low and

the flavor very bitter. Table olives can be made from green or black olives or

any of the intermediate colors of the fruits as they ripen. The table varieties

generally need to be of fair size, preferably spherical, with a high pulp-to-stone

ratio. They must be

easy to stone and

must have a thin,

elastic skin. Finally,

high sugar content

is beneficial as it facilitates fermentation, while low oil content improves

keeping qualities and gives firm fruits. The best varieties for table olives are

Manzanilla de Sevilla, which is a fleshy olive with a fine texture, spherical

shape and medium size, and the famous Gordal olives, which have a very

low oil content and are larger than most. The

Hojiblanca variety, characteristic of Andalusia, is

a dual-purpose olive, that is, it can be used either

for making oil or for table olives. The Manzanilla

Cacereña variety is grown in the provinces of

Cáceres (Extremadura) and to a lesser extent in Salamanca (Castile-León). It is

used to make delicious, seasoned black olives. Another dual-purpose variety

that mostly reaches consumers as black olives is the Empeltre, from Aragón.

There is also a Protected Designation of Origin for Table Olives: PDO Aloreña

de Málaga.

table olive nine

Page 15: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

26 27

Spain is famed for its wines, and wines are the essential raw

material in Spain for vinegar. The Spanish wine vinegars that result from careful fermentation of white or red wines or cava, whether sweet or dry, are much praised for their intense aroma, the wide spec-trum of flavors and the many varieties available. Spanish gastronomy is very generous in its use of vinegar, which is added to salads, gazpachos, sauces, pickles, and marinades. Wine vinegars are made in many wine-producing parts of Spain such as Galicia, Castile-La Mancha, La Rioja and Catalonia. Special mention should be made of those made in Andalusia with the wines from Jerez (that is, Sherry vinegars) and Condado de Huelva because they are aged in oak barrels using the traditional solera and criaderas system which makes their wines so characteristic. These exquisite mahogany-colored vinegars are covered by their respective Designations of Origin. Aroma-tized vinegar is also a popular traditional product. The aromas used include

garlic, lavender, rosemary, tarragon, and thyme, and there are also saffron, raspberry and other fruit vinegars. Smooth, fine vinegar is also made from cider, a typical drink in the Principality of Asturias and the province of Guipúzcoa (Basque Country).

vinegarsten

Page 16: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

28 29

Thanks to an established

winemaking history and

rich natural resources, Spain is the country with the largest area of

vineyards, more than one million hectares, and the third largest wine

producer in the world. The first vineyards were cultivated on the south-

west coast of Andalusia by the Phoenicians, which

may also have been the entry point for the first vines

that reached the peninsula 3,000 years ago.

Given its geographical features, climatic variations

and the myriad of soil types, Spain is ideally situated

for the production of very different grape varieties.

We are privileged to have a broad range of high-

quality native grape varieties, such as Tempranillo, Bobal, Monastrell,

Garnacha, Mencía, Albariño, Verdejo… etc. In addition to a diverse range

of still wines, Spain is also fortunate to produce traditional yet deli-

cious products such as Sherry (our world-beating fortified wine, made

with Palomino Fino, Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez

varieties) and Cava (our sparkling wine made in the

“traditional method” with Xarel.lo, Parellada and

Macabeo varieties).

Spain has a vast number of different quality wine-

making regions, from Denominations of Origin

eleven

wines

Page 17: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

30 31

to Single Estate Wines. While some (such as Rioja, Rías

Baixas and Ribera del Duero) are well known, there

are many others producing a vast range of wines

that are yet to be discovered by many outside Spain.

A quick tour will reveal fresh, fruity whites in the north-

west; full bodied reds in the southeast;

and an interior with great blends, as

well as the best wines in the world

produced from the tempranillo grape. The south

produces our magical sherry wines, with exciting sweet

wines and elegant Cava being produced in a various areas

across Spain.

In recent years, the world has witnessed the rise of a new

generation of Spanish master winemakers, who have learnt

to blend tradition and quality with innovation, giving rise to unique

wines of exceptional qual i t y

that enjoy unprecedented success

worldwide. There is a Spanish wine for

every moment, a dif ferent wine

for every food.

Page 18: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain

winesfromspain.com

everything you should know about spanish wines

ICEX Spain Trade and Investment Paseo de la Castellana, 14-1628046 MadridTel (+34) 913 496 244Fax (+34) 914 358 976www.icex.eswww.foodsfromspain.com www.winesfromspain.com

Textwww.foodsfromspain.com

Design and Art DirectionEstrada Design

Photos © ICEX © Shutterstock

Photographers:Amador Toril: pag. 10, 17, 18, 25, 27.

Ciuco Gutiérrez: pag. 12.

Fernando Briones: pag. 16.

Fernando Madariaga: pag. 2, 3, 4, 6, 22, 30.

ICEX: pag. 2, 3, 8, 12, 14, 26.

Ignacio Muñoz-Seca: pag. 16.

Juan Manuel Sanz: pag. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30.

Matías Costa: pag. 12, 14.

Miguel S. Moñita, Lucía M. Diz: pag. 9.

Oscar Pipkin: pag. 20.

Patricia R. Soto: pag. 28, 31.

Shutterstock: pag. 15, 18.

Tomás Zarza: cover, pag. 14, 19, 23.

Toya Legido: cover, pag. 14, 23.

Landscapes:pag. 4 Picos de Europa (Luis Carré)

pag.12 Pastures (Matías Costa)

pag.14 Lamb from Extremadura (Matías Costa)

pag. 16 Olive trees in the Toledo Mountains (Fernando Briones), Oil producing company - Campiña Anfora Santoella, Cordoba -Andalusia- (Ignacio Muñoz-Seca)

pag. 20 Salt lakes, Majorca (Oscar Pipkin)

pag. 24 Olive farming on the Oil Green Route, Jaen -Andalusia- (Juan Manuel Sanz)

pag. 28 Grape harvest at the vineyards of the Quinta Quietud Winery (Patricia R. Soto)

NIPO: 726-13-005-3

Page 19: Spain’s Eleven: Eleven Gastronomic Icons from Spain